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List of judges of the Federal Court of Australia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Judges who have served on the Federal Court of Australia as of May 2019,[1][2] are appointed in accordance with section 72 of the Constitution, which has, since the Court's inception in 1976, been for a term expiring at age 70.[3]

In addition to their judicial service, six judges of the Federal Court have also been elected to the Parliament of Australia: Nigel Bowen, Bob Ellicott, Merv Everett, Tony Whitlam, John Reeves and Duncan Kerr. All were elected prior to their appointment to the bench.[citation needed]

Additionally, two judges of the Federal Court have served in state Parliaments: Bernard Riley, formerly of the New South Wales Legislative Council, and Howard Olney, formerly of the Western Australian Legislative Council.[citation needed]

Judges including Chief Justices

More information Position, Name ...
Position Name Appointment
commenced		 Appointment
ended		 Term Comments Notes
Chief Justice Sir Nigel Bowen 20 December 1976 31 December 1990 14 years, 11 days Chief Judge in Equity of the Supreme Court (NSW) [4]
Michael Black 1 January 1991 21 March 2010 19 years, 79 days Barrister (Queen's Counsel for Victoria and Tasmania) [5]
Patrick Keane 22 March 2010 28 February 2013 2 years, 343 days Court of Appeal Judge in the Supreme Court (Qld)
Appointed to the High Court		 [2][6][7]
James Allsop 1 March 2013 6 April 2023 10 years, 36 days Previously President of the Court of Appeal (NSW)
previously served as Federal Court judge		 [2][8]
Debra Mortimer 7 April 2023 3 years, 139 days Judge of the Federal Court (2013–) [1][9]
Judge Sir Richard Blackburn 1 February 1977 31 March 1985 8 years, 58 days [2]
(Sir) Gerard Brennan 12 February 1981 4 years, 11 days Appointed to the High Court
Xavier Connor 17 March 1982 5 years, 44 days
Phillip Evatt 28 February 1987 10 years, 27 days Judge of the Supreme Court (NI)
Sir William Forster 31 January 1989 11 years, 365 days
Robert Franki 5 August 1986 9 years, 185 days
Russell Fox 31 March 1989 12 years, 58 days Chief Judge of the Supreme Court (NI)
John Keely 29 February 1996 19 years, 28 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
James Muirhead 4 August 1986 9 years, 184 days
Sir John Nimmo 30 June 1980 3 years, 150 days
Ray Northrop 31 August 1998 21 years, 211 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
Bernard Riley 4 August 1978 1 year, 184 days
Sir Reginald Smithers 30 September 1986 9 years, 241 days
Robert St John 31 March 1985 8 years, 58 days Judge of the Supreme Court (NI)
Charles Sweeney 29 June 1995 18 years, 148 days
John Sweeney 7 May 1981 4 years, 95 days
Richard Ward 24 November 1977 296 days
Sir Edward Woodward 31 July 1990 13 years, 180 days
(Sir) William Deane 1 April 1977 26 July 1982 5 years, 116 days Appointed to the High Court
John Toohey 4 April 1977 31 December 1986 9 years, 271 days Appointed to the High Court
Douglas McGregor 7 November 1977 14 November 1985 8 years, 7 days
Francis Fisher 6 March 1978 31 July 1989 11 years, 147 days
John Gallop 11 March 1978 30 July 2000 22 years, 141 days
Daryl Davies 17 May 1978 31 August 1998 20 years, 106 days
John Lockhart 30 October 1978 11 June 1999 20 years, 224 days (1935–2006)[10][11][12]
Ian Sheppard 9 December 1979 23 May 1997 17 years, 165 days
John Kelly 11 March 1980 1 July 1990 10 years, 112 days
Trevor Morling 11 February 1981 1 February 1993 11 years, 356 days Judge of the Supreme Court (NI)
Bob Ellicott 2 March 1981 24 February 1983 1 year, 359 days
Gerald Fitzgerald 25 November 1981 30 June 1984 2 years, 218 days
Kenneth Jenkinson 1 November 1982 5 June 1997 14 years, 216 days
Alan Neaves 11 March 1983 8 January 1995 11 years, 303 days
Michael Kirby 30 March 1983 23 September 1984 1 year, 177 days Appointed to NSW Court of Appeal
then to High Court
Bryan Beaumont 30 May 1983 11 February 2005 21 years, 257 days Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (NI)
Murray Wilcox 11 May 1984 2 October 2006 22 years, 144 days Chief Justice of Industrial Relations Court
Judge of the Supreme Court (NI)
Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
Peter Gray 17 May 1984 17 May 2013 29 years, 0 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
Jeffrey Spender 17 May 1984 19 July 2010 26 years, 63 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
Merv Everett 27 June 1984 4 October 1987 3 years, 99 days
Bill Pincus 25 March 1985 16 December 1991 6 years, 266 days
James Burchett 3 June 1985 10 October 2000 15 years, 129 days
Jeffrey Miles 18 June 1985 30 September 2002 17 years, 104 days
David Jackson 15 November 1985 26 May 1987 1 year, 192 days "Australia's pre-eminent constitutional law barrister", according to lawyer Louise Clegg in the AFR (2023)[13]
Donnell Ryan 29 September 1986 2 June 2011 24 years, 246 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
William Gummow 24 November 1986 20 April 1995 8 years, 147 days Appointed to the High Court
Robert French 25 November 1986 1 September 2008 21 years, 281 days Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
Appointed to Chief Justice of the High Court
Marcus Einfeld 18 December 1986 16 April 2001 14 years, 119 days
Trevor Hartigan 13 August 1987 24 April 1990 2 years, 254 days
Michael Foster 2 November 1987 26 November 1998 11 years, 24 days
Alastair Nicholson 1 February 1988 31 May 2004 16 years, 120 days
Malcolm Lee 15 February 1988 1 May 2006 18 years, 75 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
Howard Olney 21 May 1988 30 April 2003 14 years, 344 days
John von Doussa 1 December 1988 15 August 2003 14 years, 257 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
Graham Hill 1 February 1989 24 August 2005 16 years, 204 days
Deirdre O'Connor 1 July 1990 5 March 2002 11 years, 247 days
John Phillips 14 August 1990 17 December 1991 1 year, 125 days
Maurice O'Loughlin 1 August 1989 28 January 2003 13 years, 180 days
Terrence Higgins 1 July 1990 12 September 2013 23 years, 73 days
Peter Heerey 17 December 1990 16 February 2009 18 years, 61 days
Doug Drummond 2 December 1991 12 April 2003 11 years, 131 days
Richard Cooper 30 March 1992 14 March 2005 12 years, 349 days
Margaret Beazley 1 January 1993 28 April 1996 3 years, 118 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
Appointed to Court of Appeal (NSW)
Tony Whitlam 1 January 1993 1 May 2005 12 years, 120 days
Christopher Carr 13 December 1993 1 August 2004 10 years, 232 days
Michael Moore 28 March 1994 1 August 2011 17 years, 126 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
Catherine Branson 16 May 1994 13 October 2008 14 years, 150 days
Jane Mathews 4 July 1994 6 April 2001 6 years, 276 days
Kevin Lindgren 26 July 1994 12 February 2010 15 years, 201 days
Brian Tamberlin 29 August 1994 30 March 2009 14 years, 213 days Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
Ronald Sackville 19 September 1994 25 August 2008 13 years, 341 days
Susan Kiefel 17 October 1994 3 September 2007 12 years, 321 days Judge of the Supreme Court (NI)
Appointed to the High Court
Robert Nicholson 1 January 1995 7 August 2007 12 years, 218 days
Paul Finn 3 July 1995 4 July 2012 17 years, 1 day
Ross Sundberg 10 July 1995 9 August 2010 15 years, 30 days
Shane Marshall 17 July 1995 21 November 2015 20 years, 127 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
John Lehane 3 October 1995 10 September 2001 5 years, 342 days
Rodney Madgwick 3 October 1995 21 April 2008 12 years, 201 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
Anthony North 3 October 1995 11 September 2018 22 years, 343 days Judge of Industrial Relations Court
Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)		 [2][14]
Ron Merkel 5 February 1996 15 May 2006 10 years, 99 days [2]
John Mansfield 2 September 1996 24 August 2016 19 years, 357 days
Arthur Emmett 3 February 1997 6 March 2013 16 years, 31 days
Alan Goldberg 3 February 1997 4 July 2010 13 years, 151 days
Raymond Finkelstein 21 July 1997 1 July 2011 13 years, 345 days
Geoffrey Giudice 17 September 1997 28 February 2012 14 years, 164 days President of AIRC & then Fair Work Australia
Mark Weinberg 15 July 1998 19 July 2008 10 years, 4 days Judge of the Court of Appeal (Vic)
Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (NI)
Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
John Dowsett 14 September 1998 26 April 2018 19 years, 224 days Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
Previously a Judge of the Supreme Court (Qld).		 [15][16]
Leslie Katz 30 September 1998 21 March 2002 3 years, 172 days [2]
Peter Hely 2 October 1998 1 October 2005 6 years, 364 days
Susan Kenny 16 October 1998 29 November 2023[2] 27 years, 312 days Presidential member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
Previously a judge of the Court of Appeal (Vic)		 [1]
Roger Gyles 11 June 1999 22 August 2008 9 years, 72 days Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT) [2]
Richard Conti 15 August 2000 15 August 2007 7 years, 0 days
Margaret Stone 9 October 2000 22 March 2012 11 years, 165 days Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
James Allsop 7 May 2001 2 June 2008 7 years, 26 days As Justice. Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
Appointed President of the Court of Appeal (NSW)
returned to court as Chief Justice		 [8]
Garry Downes 2 April 2002 15 May 2012 10 years, 43 days Judge of the Supreme Court (NI) [2]
Peter Jacobson 17 June 2002 25 January 2015 12 years, 222 days Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (NI)
Bradley Selway 18 November 2002 10 April 2005 2 years, 143 days
Annabelle Bennett 5 May 2003 23 March 2016 12 years, 323 days Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
Bruce Lander 14 July 2003 31 August 2013 10 years, 48 days Judge of the Supreme Court (NI)
Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
Susan Crennan 3 February 2004 1 November 2005 1 year, 271 days Appointed to the High Court
Antony Siopis 14 April 2005 5 May 2018 13 years, 21 days Presidential member of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal [17][18]
Richard Edmonds 5 May 2005 10 February 2016 10 years, 281 days [2]
Peter Graham 24 May 2005 6 September 2010 5 years, 105 days [2]
Andrew Greenwood 4 August 2005 19 July 2022 16 years, 349 days [2][19][20]
Neil Young 30 November 2005 24 January 2007 1 year, 55 days [2]
Steven Rares 2 February 2006 15 November 2023[2] 17 years, 286 days Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT) [21]
Berna Collier 8 February 2006 20 years, 197 days Judge of the Papua New Guinea Supreme Court
Deputy President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)		 [22]
Dennis Cowdroy 13 March 2006 15 March 2014 8 years, 2 days [2]
Anthony Besanko 3 April 2006 7 May 2024[2] 18 years, 34 days Chief Justice of the Supreme Court (NI)
Additional Judge of the Supreme Court (ACT)
Previously a judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia		 [23][24][25][26]
Christopher Jessup 23 June 2006 15 April 2017 20 years, 62 days [2]
Richard Tracey 24 July 2006 16 August 2018 12 years, 23 days [27]
John Middleton 31 July 2006 25 December 2022 16 years, 147 days [2][28][29][30]
Robert Buchanan 8 September 2006 10 September 2016 10 years, 2 days Judge of the Supreme Court (NI) [2]
John Gilmour 11 December 2006 23 March 2018 11 years, 102 days Judge of the Supreme Court (NI) [2]
Michelle Gordon 20 April 2007 8 June 2015 8 years, 49 days Appointed to the High Court [2]
John Logan 27 September 2007 5 March 2026 18 years, 331 days [2]
Geoffrey Flick 15 October 2007 18 October 2021 14 years, 3 days [2]
Neil McKerracher 15 October 2007 5 December 2021 14 years, 51 days [2]
John Reeves 19 November 2007 1 January 2022 14 years, 43 days [2][31]
Nye Perram 8 August 2008 18 years, 16 days [1]
Jayne Jagot 3 September 2008 16 October 2022 14 years, 43 days Appointed to the High Court [2]
Lindsay Foster 4 September 2008 30 September 2020 12 years, 26 days [2]
Michael Barker 9 February 2009 11 February 2019 10 years, 2 days [2]
John Nicholas 16 February 2009 1 May 2025 16 years, 281 days [2]
David Yates 30 November 2009 30 November 2024 15 years, 0 days [2]
Mordecai Bromberg 7 December 2009 16 years, 260 days President of the Australian Law Reform Commission (2023-present)[32] [1]
Julie Dodds-Streeton 1 February 2010 1 April 2014 4 years, 59 days [2]
Anna Katzmann 1 February 2010 24 June 2025 16 years, 204 days 1 year, 61 days [33]
Alan Robertson 11 April 2011 8 May 2020 9 years, 27 days [2]
Bernard Murphy 13 June 2011 3 August 2026 15 years, 72 days 21 days [2]
Iain Ross 1 March 2012 18 November 2022 10 years, 262 days President of Fair Work Commission (2012-2022) [2][34]
John Griffiths 23 April 2012 1 April 2022 9 years, 343 days [2]
Duncan Kerr 10 May 2012 25 February 2022 9 years, 291 days President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (2012-2017)
Previously member of the House of Representatives and Attorney-General		 [2][35][36]
Kathleen Farrell 5 December 2012 1 August 2023 10 years, 239 days [2]
Tony Pagone 21 June 2013 31 March 2018 4 years, 283 days [2]
Jennifer Davies 4 July 2013 1 April 2022 8 years, 271 days [2]
Debra Mortimer 12 July 2013 13 years, 43 days Appointed Chief Justice (2023–) [1]
Darryl Rangiah 13 August 2013 13 years, 11 days [1]
Richard Conway White 31 August 2013 5 January 2022 8 years, 127 days [2]
Michael Wigney 9 September 2013 12 years, 349 days Judge of the Supreme Court (NI) [1]
Melissa Perry 23 September 2013 12 years, 335 days [1]
Jacqueline Gleeson 15 April 2014 28 February 2021 6 years, 319 days Appointed to the High Court [2]
Jonathan Beach 30 June 2014 12 years, 55 days [1]
James Edelman 20 April 2015 29 January 2017 1 year, 284 days Appointed to the High Court [2][37]
Brigitte Markovic 24 August 2015 11 years, 0 days [1]
Mark Moshinsky 3 November 2015 10 years, 294 days Acting President of the Australian Law Reform Commission (2023–)[38] [1]
Robert Bromwich 29 February 2016 10 years, 177 days [1]
Natalie Charlesworth 1 March 2016 10 years, 176 days [1]
Stephen Burley 6 May 2016 10 years, 110 days [1]
David O'Callaghan 1 February 2017 9 years, 204 days [1]
Michael Lee 27 March 2017 9 years, 150 days [1]
Roger Derrington 29 March 2017 9 years, 148 days [1]
David Thomas 27 June 2017 31 January 2024 6 years, 218 days President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (2017-2022)
Previously a Judge of the Supreme Court (Qld)		 [2]
Sarah Derrington 10 January 2018 8 years, 226 days President of the Australian Law Reform Commission (2018-2023)[38] [1]
Simon Steward 1 February 2018 30 November 2020 2 years, 303 days Appointed to the High Court [2]
Katrina Banks-Smith 12 February 2018 8 years, 193 days Previously a Judge of Supreme Court (WA) [1]
Craig Colvin 13 February 2018 8 years, 192 days [1]
Thomas Thawley 14 February 2018 8 years, 191 days [1]
Michael Wheelahan 3 October 2018 7 years, 325 days [1]
Paul Anastassiou 1 February 2019 29 April 2022 3 years, 87 days [2]
Angus Stewart 25 February 2019 7 years, 180 days [1]
Michael O'Bryan 26 February 2019 7 years, 179 days [1]
Darren Jackson 20 March 2019 7 years, 157 days [1]
John Snaden 29 April 2019 7 years, 117 days [1]
Stewart Anderson 6 May 2019 7 years, 110 days [1]
Wendy Abraham 7 May 2019 7 years, 109 days [1]
John Halley 19 March 2021 5 years, 158 days [1]
Elizabeth Cheeseman 12 April 2021 5 years, 134 days [1]
Helen Rofe 12 July 2021 5 years, 43 days [1]
Kylie Downes 2 August 2021 5 years, 22 days [1]
Scott Goodman 11 November 2021 4 years, 286 days [1]
Patrick O'Sullivan 20 January 2022 4 years, 216 days Previously a Judge of the District Court of South Australia [1]
Shaun McElwaine 24 January 2022 4 years, 212 days [1]
Michael Feutrill 8 March 2022 4 years, 169 days [1]
Fiona Meagher 31 March 2022 4 years, 146 days President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (2022) [1]
Timothy McEvoy 26 April 2022 4 years, 120 days Previously a Judge of the Federal Circuit and Family Court (Division 1) [1]
Lisa Hespe 27 April 2022 4 years, 119 days [1]
Elizabeth Raper 2 May 2022 4 years, 114 days [1]
Geoffrey Kennett 19 December 2022 3 years, 248 days Previously a Judge of the Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory [1]
Catherine Button 16 January 2023 3 years, 220 days Previously a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria [1]
Ian Jackman 6 February 2023 3 years, 199 days [1]
Adam Hatcher 19 February 2023 3 years, 186 days President of the Fair Work Commission (2023–) [1]
Emilios Kyrou 8 June 2023 3 years, 77 days Previously a Judge of the Supreme Court of Victoria
President of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (2023–)		 [1]
Christopher Horan 5 September 2023 2 years, 353 days [1]
Yaseen Shariff 7 September 2023 2 years, 351 days [1]
Penelope Neskovcin 8 February 2024 2 years, 197 days [1]
Craig Dowling 9 February 2024 2 years, 196 days [1]
Jane Needham 5 July 2024 2 years, 50 days [1]
Stephen McDonald 8 July 2024 2 years, 47 days [1]
Samuel Vandongen 17 December 2024 1 year, 250 days Previously a Judge of Supreme Court (WA) [1]
Cameron Moore 18 December 2024 1 year, 249 days [1]
Nicholas Owens 18 December 2024 1 year, 249 days [1]
James Stellios 19 December 2024 1 year, 248 days [1]
Houda Younan 19 December 2024 1 year, 248 days [1]
Elizabeth Bennett 20 December 2024 1 year, 247 days [1]
Erin Longbottom 20 December 2024 1 year, 247 days [1]
Amelia Wheatley 6 January 2025 1 year, 230 days [1]
Graeme Hill 2 April 2025 1 year, 144 days [1]
Craig Lenahan 9 February 2026 196 days [1]
Close

Location of current judges

Sydney
  • Nye Perram (8 August 2008)
  • Michael Wigney (9 September 2013)
  • Melissa Perry (23 September 2013)
  • Brigitte Markovic (24 August 2015)
  • Robert Bromwich (29 February 2016)
  • Stephen Burley (23 May 2016)
  • Michael Lee (23 April 2017)
  • Thomas Thawley (14 February 2018)
  • Angus Stewart (25 February 2019)
  • Wendy Abraham (7 May 2019)
  • John Halley (19 March 2021)
  • Elizabeth Cheeseman (12 April 2021)
  • Scott Goodman (11 November 2021)
  • Elizabeth Raper (2 May 2022)
  • Geoffrey Kennett (19 December 2022)
  • Ian Jackman (6 February 2023)
  • Adam Hatcher (19 February 2023)
  • Yaseen Shariff (7 September 2023)
  • Jane Needham (5 July 2024)
  • Cameron Moore (18 December 2024)
  • Nicholas Owens (18 December 2024)
  • James Stellios (19 December 2024)
  • Houda Younan (19 December 2024)
  • Craig Lenahan (9 February 2026)
Melbourne
  • Mordecai Bromberg (7 December 2009)
  • Debra Mortimer (12 July 2013) (Chief Justice)
  • Jonathan Beach (30 June 2014)
  • Mark Moshinsky (3 November 2015)
  • David O'Callaghan (1 February 2017)
  • Michael Wheelahan (3 October 2018)
  • Michael O’Bryan (26 February 2019)
  • John Snaden (29 April 2019)
  • Stewart Anderson (6 May 2019)
  • Helen Rofe (12 July 2021)
  • Timothy McEvoy (26 April 2022)
  • Lisa Hespe (27 April 2022)
  • Catherine Button (16 January 2023)
  • Emilios Kyrou (8 June 2023)
  • Christopher Horan (5 September 2023)
  • Penelope Neskovcin (8 February 2024)
  • Craig Dowling (9 February 2024)
  • Elizabeth Bennett (20 December 2024)
  • Graeme Hill (2 April 2025)
Brisbane
  • Berna Collier (8 February 2006)
  • Darryl Rangiah (13 August 2013)
  • Roger Derrington (24 April 2017)
  • Sarah Derrington (10 January 2018)
  • Kylie Downes (2 August 2021)
  • Fiona Meagher (31 March 2022)
  • Erin Longbottom (20 December 2024)
  • Amelia Wheatley (6 January 2025)
Perth
  • Katrina Banks-Smith (12 February 2018)
  • Craig Colvin (13 February 2018)
  • Darren Jackson (20 March 2019)
  • Michael Feutrill (8 March 2022)
  • Samuel Vandongen (17 December 2024)
Adelaide
  • Natalie Charlesworth (1 March 2016)
  • Patrick O'Sullivan (20 January 2022)
  • Stephen Andrew McDonald (8 July 2024)
Hobart
  • Shaun McElwaine (24 January 2022)

See also

Federal Court Judges holding concurrent appointments in:

References

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